According to Afsa executive director Mark Krieg, the strong rand has resulted in imported goods that are cheaper than locally manufactured goods in many sectors. Many businesses, he said, are unable to withstand this competition and close down.
The federation considered a variety of ways to compete against imports but Krieg believes there is an uneven playing field in the aluminium industry. All the products and expertise needed for these projects can be imported cheaply; however, the challenge at hand is to manufacture such products locally. There are initiatives that have been set to support the aluminium industry and develop a globally competitive South African foundry industry, for example through the creation of a National Foundry Technology Network (NFTN).
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